Cagiva 500 GP 1980-1995: proud passion

After 14 years of challenges to the Japanese Houses, in 1994 the Cagiva has been withdrawn from Large the Prizes. Passion and pride have fed it want to run also when it turns out to you lacked. We tell the history to you of the first ten difficult seasons and the models that of were protagonists.

3 victories, 11 podi, 6 pole position and 3 faster turns. E' the budget of the agonistica history of the Cagiva from Great Prize, begun on the old Nurburgring 24 9 the August 1980 and concluded October 1994 to Barcelona, on the circuit of Catalunya to the term of the GP of Europe. The pilots of that year were the Americans John Kocinski and Doug Chandler, the first one of which concluded the Championship in third position to the shoulders of Luca Cadalora on Yamaha, thanks to the Victoria in the GP of Australia, a discreet number of podi and many contests concluded to points.

The last apparition is of 1995, to the GP of Italy, capacity in track from Pierfrancesco Chili that was characterized with the third time and made one the beautifulst contest lacking the podio for a banal error. The concluded history when the Castiglioni siblings decided to divert the human resources and financial institutions on the new MV Agusta to 4 times.

Sin, because the carried out one begun with the arrival of Eddie Lawson to the end of 1990 (than to 33 years could boast 4 tito them iridati and 30 victories with Honda and Yamaha) made to intravvedere "the collected" moment of after the suffered little competitive years of the motion and of the pilots demotiva you. The dream of Lawson, to conclude its strabiliante career winning in saddleback to the Cagiva, came true 12 August 1992 to the GP of Hungary, on the Hungaroring. The road was indicated. The Cagiva was competitive and from that moment it could "only grow".

But we leave with order, from that Unit Run of Schiranna where they came prepared the Aermacchi Harley-Davidson with which Walter Villa in years Seventy it gained 4 tito them world-wide ones in class 250/350.

“Cagiva’s racing history is littered with strange tales hinting at technical piracy and secret liaisons with supposed rivals: the charge is that they caught up with the Japanese (eventually) not merely by copying them, but by actually using the same component dimensions. This suggested a more or less covert exchange of drawings or even parts, especially with Yamaha. It is common knowledge that many intimate parts of their second-generation 1987 V4 - parts such as crankshafts and pistons - were interchangeable with Yamaha components; there were also parallel chassis developments, notably the banana-curved arched swing arm of 1988, that seemed far too similar to be a coincidence.

“Claudio Castiglioni, the brother with the higher public profile, was always staunch in his denials that there was any link whatsoever with Yamaha, or with anybody else. Yet tales of skulduggery had been with Cagiva right from the very start, including a persistent belief that the disappearance of a works Suzuki crankcase from the team’s British headquarters in 1978 was closely linked with the appearance in 1979 of the first ‘Cagiva’, which appeared to have copy square-four crankcases, surmounted by a collection of freely available Suzuki RG500 production racer components. The bike was ridden by Scotsman Alex George, managing a couple of 13th-placed finishes before disappearing into history.

“They were back in 1980 with the new Cagiva painted in the proud red-and-silver colours of the old MV team. There were other MV links too, including team boss Arturo Magni, who now filled the same role at Cagiva. This was a different machine, but still not entirely their own. On top of an in-line four Yamaha crankcase they’d put their own cylinders, without exhaust valves but with reed-valve induction. This was an early use of a system that took three or more years to become the class norm. But the bike was raced only once, at the Nurburgring on 24 August, in the hands of Virginio Ferrari. He qualified 25th, well off the pace.”

1977

Cagiva begins his adventure in the Motomondiale in 1977 as sponsor of the Team Life.

The elefantino of logo the Ca.Gi.Va. (Castiglioni Giovanni Varese) ago its first official apparition on the tracks of the GP in 1977. E' a sponsor of the square guided from Alberto Pagani (with pilots Lansivuori, Lucchinelli, Cereghini and Perugini) that it runs with rappezzate the Yamaha and Suzuki of the Life Team. E' one travagliata season for the team; the motion falls to pieces and to half championship the Life sponsor "cuts the rope" leaving the pockets of pilots and team empty manager. Fortunately there is that small "elephant" on the carene and therefore, with the moneies of the siblings Castiglioni, Lucchinelli it gains its first iridato GP to Assen, with one Yamaha TZ 750. Summary

1978 Cagiva-Suzuki

The following year 1978 instead a real share as team is had, participating in the classes 250, 350, 500 and 750, also taking back the old models of the department raced Aermacchi Harley-Davidson, holders of three titles in the class 250 and one in 350, but without results for the '78 and the '79.

The Castiglioni siblings take taste to us and in the 1978 they begin mean it. With Fabris, Large masks, Milani and Fanali activate the old unit run Aermacchi Harley-Davidson, find the motion Ex-Team Life of the previous year and they are enrolled to the World-wide Championship. It comes confirmed as pilot Mark Lucchinelli and in honor to MV the Agusta of which the Cagiva it wants to collect the witness in the GP, the motion comes painted in silver-red.

In order not to make to lack null to the pilot, they come to it put to old disposition also Harley-Davidson 250/350. The season reserves little satisfactions, the motion is not reliable and the only moment of Gloria is the Victoria, then embezzled to Lucchinelli for a pie of the timekeepers, in the GP of England class 500 to Silverstone, disputed under a deluge.

Marco Lucchinelli
Gianfranco Bonera

Lucchinelli on Cagiva 350

Lucchinelli on Cagiva 350

Lucchinelli on Cagiva 350

1978 Gianfranco Bonera at Assen on Cagiva SUZUKI RGB500

1978 Lucchinelli at Salzburg on Cagiva SUZUKI RGB500

1978 Lucchinelli at Mugello on Cagiva SUZUKI RGB500

1978 Lucchinelli at Assen on Cagiva SUZUKI RGB500

1978 Lucchinelli at Nurburgring on Cagiva SUZUKI RGB500

1978 Marco Lucchinelli at Mugello on Cagiva SUZUKI RGB500

1979 Cagiva-Suzuki

Alex George ? (presumably not for the factory, if true)

Bonera - Ferrari(cagiva) - zaman batu urang da wheelie2 suda taww

1979 Lucchinelli #4 and Ferrari #9

1980 1C2 - a hybrid based on Yamaha TZ 500

To the GP of Germany of 1980, the Cagiva is introduced with the first motion entire constructed to Schiranna. The door in track Virginio Ferrari (vice champion of dismounted class 500 from the Zago Team) and is a hybrid on base Yamaha TZ 500. Not there are great expectations, the Cagiva men want to carry a.termine the GP. Ferrari qualification in the last positions and contest is withdrawn after a turn… Summary

1981 2C2(C1) - Completely Cagiva made

E' 1981 the year in which the first true Cagiva comes down in track, comprised motor. E' 4 cylinders online with feeding to 4 rotary discs. The chassis is a double classic crib in round steel tubes. It toes make one's debut in contest, always with Virginio Ferrari in Germany, to Hockenheim. In test it obtains 44° the time and it closes the contest 30°. The season continues on the same tones, with the best one turned out obtained to the GP of Saint Marino where Ferrari concludes 19°.

Virginio Ferrari 最高19位

CAGIVAモデル 2C2に搭載した直列4気筒118馬力のエンジンには始めてロータリーディスク方式による吸気システムを導入した。
The CAGIVA model 2C2 introduces in the grand prix circus solutions never seen before: 118hp for an engine 4 cylinders in line with a rotating disc distribution system.

1982 Jon Ekerold at Silverstone

1982 3C2(C2)

while beginning from 1982 with the 3C2, driven by Jon Ekerold (fresh world champion of the class 350 in 1980 on board of a Bimota), he succeeds in getting the first point in absolute for Cagiva, with the 10th place to Hockenheim (last competition of the season).

1982 mark one carried out technical and the first bitter tradimento. They come engages the Dutch to you Van Dulmen and Massimo Broccoli like pilot-test pilot. The Dutch but, to the eve of the championship, abandons the square and passes to the Yamaha. He lands therefore to the Cagiva the South African Jon Ekerold, veteran from one little fortunate season but former Champion of the World of the 350. The motion is all new: the motor is 4 cylinders in square, a lot tilts to you in ahead, still with feeding to rotary discs arranged but to sides of Carter like on Suzuki RG 500.

The chassis is a double crib sluice in tubes squared of aluminum, like on the official Yamaha and Suzuki of that year (and subsequently on the NS 500 3 cylinders second version).

Jon Ekerold during the season pantry satisfactions. In saddleback to the 4 cylinders Italian qualification and concludes the contests well, giving to the Cagiva the first iridato point (tenth place) in the last GP of the season, to Hockenheim.

M.BROCCOLI 最高10位 総合28位 (1 point)
Jon Ekerold

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1982 Jon Ekerold

1983 4C3(C7)

In 1983 with the new 4C3 it is experimented a particular loom that will be seen again during lastagione, where the motor becomes worn-out element, that however it makes the motorbike inguidabile and it jeopardizes the season,

For championship 1983, the Castiglioni siblings head up and invest in one new motion that but only arrives to season already begun. It comes confirmed Jon Ekerold and engaged Virginio Ferrari newly, of return from one disappointing season in saddleback to the Suzuki. The relationships between Ekerold and the square are gotten out of order, perhaps it turns out to you do not arrive (for the macanza of the new motion) and therefore the South African comes fired. The single Ferrari finishes to the season, to taken with one the inguidabile motion. Summary

The new 4C3 has the motor of the previous version that but acquits hour also to one semicarrying function: front there is a structure that ingloba the cannotto of steering bolted to the propeller, wrapped posteriorly from a large slab that acts as from attack to all the retrotreno.

Ferrari, exasperated from means absolutely not to the height, asks and obtains a more traditional chassis in tubes squared of aluminum that arrives but when the season by now is compromised.

1984 C9

in 1984 the motorbike succeeds in developing 132 CVs, but it conquers only the tenth place to the GP of Yugoslavia.

The 1984, if possible one, is still more disastrous. Virginio Ferrari passes to the Yamaha-Agostini team as second guide of Eddie Lawson and therefore the Castiglioni newly engages Mark Lucchinelli that returns to the Cagiva after 5 years during which it has gained a title it world-wide of class 500 (with the Suzuki) and little arranged in saddleback to Honda NS 3 cylinders.

It promises to victories and successes but the truth and very more mesta. Qualification with 8° the time to the 200 Miles of Imola but in the contests of World-wide alternate the opaque tests to absences ingiustificate, with culminating episode during the GP of France: it takes part after the incident happened to Uncini Franc, litigates with a doctor and, recalled from the direction contest that it wants to fine it, it leaves the Cagiva in embarrassment and it returns to house.

Sin because the motion was not then therefore badly, the double chassis crib in tubes you squared of aluminum was more compact and light and the motor developed 132 CV. It takes the place of Lucchinelli, the French specialist of the Endurance, Herve Moineau that, although was lacking in experience with the 500 four cylinders to two times, conquest the tenth place to the GP of Yugoslavia. Subsequently infortunatosi, it leaves the place to an other French: Pierre Bolle.

Marco Lucchinelli 最高10位 総合27位 (1 point)
Herve Moineau
Pierre Bolle

Lucchinelli - taun yamaha rxz start famous d m'sia..

1985 C10V

In 1985 the C10 adopts a motor V4 of 90° to two trees motor controrotanti and thin plates (instead of the rotating disks of the preceding versions) feeding, while the loom follows the scheme Deltabox of the official Yamahas; with this motorbike the Cagiva succeeds in taking points, but he/she doesn't succeed in concluding nothing in the championship, for the lack of motivated pilots, in fact the motorbike had been made a will with Kenny Roberts, marking good times.

E' in 1985 that happens technical a carried out other. Confirmed Lucchinelli and newly engaged Virginio Ferrari, new motion is born one completely, with V4 propeller of 90° to two controrotanti drive shafts and feeding to lamelle. The chassis follows the Deltabox outline of the Yamaha official.

The Victoria of Lucchinelli in the test of opening of the European Championship very makes to hope but in the world-wide one he turns out to you sconfortanti convince the team and the Castiglioni siblings that a esperiment is necessaryor in order to verify how much the failure depends on the motion and how much from the pilots.

Marco Lucchinelli 最高15位
Virginio Ferrari

The 19 and 20 August 1985 knows them on Cagiva 500, for a test on the track of Adriatic Misano, the three times Champion of the World Kenny Roberts. The "Martian" makes to realize an order as he appealed to to he (a lot loaded on the avatreno) and inanella many turns, making to record times of absolute relief and being given a lusinghiero judgment on the motion. He was marks them that he served to the Cagiva: they wanted pilots to us motivates to you.

1986 C10V

The councils of Kenny Roberts serve to modernize the C10 of the previous year rendering it more competitive. In 1986 Viene enrolled to World-wide only the Spanish Juan Garriga who begins well classifying itself eighth in the GP of house. In the successive tests it is behaved well in qualification but in contest it is often withdrawn for problems of reliability of the motion. It ends the championship to 17° the place, better Cagiva placing than always in the World-wide one. Summary

To the GP of the Nations of Monza Mark Lucchinelli participates also that unfortunately falls after little turns while it is found in the head positions.

1987 C10V & C587(V587)

In 1987 the new motorbike, the C587, now completely red and ready on the occasion of the fourth test of the world one, the GP of the Nations, shows immediately him to the height of the situation; the new 4 cylinders it has the V from 58°, always with the trees motor controrotanti, the loom still has a structure type Deltabox but smaller than the precedent. In the GP of Brazil, the Belgian Didier de Radigues concludes to the fourth place.

To the term of the Championship, in Cagiva they mature the idea that for being able to compete to high levels a more professional structure is necessary, therefore, in 1987, it comes designated to Sport Director the Belgian Franciois Batta and engages two expert pilots to you of the class Queen: the Belgian Didier de Radigues and the French Raymond Roche.

A sponsor arrives also tabaccaio and therefore from traditional red-silver, the livery passes to a beautiful red Ferrari. E' before the time that the Castiglioni siblings accept a sponsor who is not a technical partner, chosen noble but sure onerosa for finances of the House varesina.

In the Championship of World 1987 the first satisfactions arrive: De Radigues is also tester Bravo and Raymond Roche is grintoso. The new motion (C587), is ready in occasion of the quarter tries of the world-wide one, the GP of the Nations and it demonstrates itself endured to the height of the situation. New the 4 cylinders have the V of i cylinders more tightened (58°), always with the controrotanti drive shafts. The chassis still has a structure of Deltabox type but it is smaller of the previous one. In the GP of Brasi they, De Radigues conclude to the quarter place.

1988 C588(V588)

In 1988 the C588, that covering pneumatic Pirelli, has a more slender motor, a strengthened loom and to the back covering a forcellone "to banana" to allow to have the expansions of the anterior cylinders to the same side. To the pilot Randy Mamola however it doesn't like a granche and solo to the GP of Italy a good result it is had, with the 7th place. Subsequently Massimo Tamburini draws a spinning carenatura, type sealed (absolute novelty) that it improves the competitiveness of the motorbike, the continuous season with the third place in Belgium to Spa (first platform for Cagiva), under the rain, the quarter in Yugoslavia and the order in France to the Paul Ricard.

The year '88 also see the debut of the Cagiva in 125, with a monocilindrica piloted by Pier Paolo White and from the British Ian McConnachie. The best positioning of the motorbike will be a 4th place to the "Nations" of Imola with White, nineteenth in the final (McConnachie will end 28°) classification. The scarce results will bring the House to focus only on the 500.

In 1988, the Belgian pilot passes to a Yamaha and therefore Cagiva engages the American Randy Mamola, vice-champion of world 1987, placing side by side it to confirmed Raymond Roche. The C588, that it mounts pneumati Pirelli to us, has a motor more snello and chassis reinforced and to the posterior one mounts a forcellone "to banana" in order to let out from the same side the expansions of the front cylinders. Summary

To Randy Mamola it does not appeal to a granche and until the GP of Italy it does not obtain appreciable risulati (positive 7° a place). Subsequently Maximum Tamburini designs one fairing the much beautifulst one and spinning and the competitiveness of the motion makes to pass in flat second the serious incident to Roche on the circuit of Imola. The continuous season with the third party place in Belgium to Spa, under the rain, the quarter in Yugoslavia and sixth in France to Paul Ricard.

1989 C589(V589)

In 1989 the lightest and powerful C589 is introduced. Probably the wrong distribution of the weights and the atypical horizontal assemblage of the back monoammortizzatore inficiano however the dowries of traction preventing therefore to Mamola to unload to earth all the horses, accordingly the season is negative.

The Cagiva is finally competitive and therefore, for 1989, there is great expectation. Unfortunately the things do not go as it was hoped. The C589, is lighter and powerful but the wrong distribution of the weights inficia the traction dowries and prevents to Mamola to unload to earth all the horses. Us the pilot puts itself also American to make the bizze: svogliato and demotivato he thinks more to make show that to compete, arriving to the unforgivable error of Assen, when exaggerates impennata and a cowling nel.giro.di alignment!

Randy Mamola 最高7位 総合18位 (33 points)
Massimo Broccoli
Raymond Roche

Randy Mamola...taun akhir ngan Cagiva..asik jatuh ja

1990 C590(V590)

In 1990 the C590 (piloted, over that from Mamola, also from Alex Barros and Ron Haslam) falls varied times and the season it doesn't even come risollevata from the technical novelty, shown on the occasion of the GP of Czechoslovakia, of a C590 with loom and forcellone in fiber of carbon.

The sconforto it reigns sovereign in Cagiva but the Castiglioni siblings resist and, convinced of the potentialities of their motion, for the 1990 they confirm Randy Mamola and they place side by side to English Ron Haslam and the Brazilian to it Alexandre Barros. Not enough, they renew also the sport structure engaging like Sport Director Virginio Ferrari and responsible of track Fiorenzo Fanali. It turns out to you continue to disappoint: Mamola is made badly during the GP of the United States and loses motivation for all the championship, Haslam makes the same one Jerez and Barros falls too much often, fortunately without consequences.

To the GP of Yugoslavia it is arrived to the absurd incident of Mamola and Haslam that hits to the first turn falling both, you follow to the third party turn from Barros. It gives to an idea of the situation classifies it end, with Cagiva last pilots of the officials, with equal Mamola points to the private Mark Pope in saddleback to one old Honda 3 cylinders.

The season does not come risollevata does not give the technical virtuosismo shown in occasion of the GP of Czechoslovakia, represented one beautifulst C590 with chassis and forcellone in carbon fiber. The Castiglioni however is convinced of wanting itself to withdraw from the race because of the insufficient ones turn out to you. Like anticipated, it was Eddie Lawson, four times Champion of the World, to make them to return on their steps.

To the end of 1990, after a short test to Rijeka, "Steady Eddie" it landed to Schiranna in order to realize its dream: to win in saddleback to one Cagiva. Dream realized in Hungary, 1992.
Alex Barros 最高5位 総合12位 (57 points)
Randy Mamola 最高6位 総合13位 (55 points)
Ron Haslam 最高8位 総合15位 (46 points)

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＃１８まもら

Mamola - Barros - Haslam...design byk tiru yamaha

1991 C591

In 1991 it lands in team Eddie Lawson that it makes to grow the motorbike, conquering the 6th absolute place in general classification

John Kocinski - Doug Chandler...new faces n much younger riders
John Kocinski....won Cagiva's first ever dry-weather 500cc win at Laguna Seca and came tenth overall with only four appearances..
＃５＃１２

1994 C594

in 1994 with the C594 it is better still, (the most thrilling season resulting) with John Kocinski that salt seven times on the platform, it wins the Gran Prize of Australia and conquest the third place in general classification.

Cagiva C594 John Kocinski....finishing third in the 1994 world championship.

1995 C594

The Cagiva will withdraw him to end 1994, with a last presence to the Gran prize of Italy 1995 (pilot Pierfrancesco Chili) [12]; in his career the House varesina had conquered 3 victories, 11 platforms, 6 poles position and 3 faster turns in competition.